I have found music to have a profound impact on my daily life. Even before I knew I had ADHD, it was such an important part of my life. I've been singing in choir since I was 12, and even before then there was always music on in my house and in the car
As if you needed any more reason to listen to music other than "I like it," here are some reasons it's good for your brain! (Or you can skip right to my recommended listening.)
In 2015, two researchers from Iqra University conducted a survey and found that 91.8% of people felt their mood to be affected and influenced by music. For people with ADHD, like myself, music can not only affect our mood but also our ability to focus and be productive.
ADHD often means having difficulty keeping track of time, getting distracted by other tasks and sudden thoughts, and dysregulated levels of dopamine (the neurotransmitter that helps us feel pleasure and find things interesting). By listening to music, we can time ourselves on projects or tasks, allow our brain to multitask in a healthy way, and increase dopamine by listening to music we like or that is brand new to us.
Recommended Music
Calm, slow, ethereal, dreamy
This is what I listen to when I'm trying to fall asleep but the silence is too loud or there's a small persistent noise bugging me, like a fan turning on and off. It's my go-to when I'm hitting sensory overload and I need to just lie down in the dark and mentally block out everything else. I also find this music helpful for working on more brain-intense projects where I need a little extra sound but not something super complex that will distract me from my main task.
Peaceful Meditation playlist by Spotify. 10 hours of ambient and new-age music reminiscent of a high-end spa.
Anything from Sigur Rós or front-man Jónsi's solo project. You may recognize his voice and musical style from the How to Train your Dragon soundtracks!
Ludovico Einaudi's solo piano music is unbelievably beautiful and often includes hypnotic repeating patterns that help my brain focus on one thing at a time.
Mid-tempo, soothing, uplifting
This music is great for everyday, when you want something on in the background that feels like your favorite pair of sweatpants - super soft, dependable, and worn in just the right places.
My personal playlist, full of gentle indie folk, some acoustic covers, and a few instrumentals.
Sammy Rae and the Friends is featured in the playlist above but also totally deserve their own entry. Jazzy vocal riffs, funky horn accents, and catchy lyrics make this band feel like a warm cardigan and a mug of cocoa on a winter day (with or without a drop of something stronger in that mug). They could arguably live in the next category as well, but this is my website and my blog so I get to make the rules.
British singer/songwriter Imogen Heap runs the gamut of style and feel in each of her songs. Sparks is probably my favorite album but every release is great. Fun fact: She went through almost 16 years worth of her music and rearranged songs in new keys, tempos, and instrumentations to provide the soundtrack for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on stage.
Upbeat, energizing
Have a dance party in your bedroom or give an impromptu shower concert!
ABBA. I don't care who you are or when you were born, I dare you to have a bad day listening to Super Trooper and Lay All Your Love On Me. I like to listen to this and choreograph a musical in the kitchen while I cook.
Young the Giant (also featured on my personal playlist). Every single song is an absolute bop. My music degree perks up a little in its dusty mental corner whenever I listen to Anagram which is in 7.
Benee is a groovy indie pop artist with highly danceable tracks. The various synth sounds in different songs scratch a very satisfying itch in my brain.
Intense, dramatic
When I need the ultimate motivation, this is where I go. Perfect for turning mind-numbing tasks like data entry, cleaning, or folding laundry into cinematic masterpieces and battles of good against evil.
Two Steps From Hell is a Los Angeles based company that has written trailer music for movies and games in the Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, X-Men, and Marvel franchises. The full symphony orchestra and soaring choir turn every second you listen into a main character moment.
Swedish heavy metal band Amaranthe is the best mix of electronic, classical, and metal with clear, clean vocals, satisfying harmonies, and a mix of string, synth, and guitar lead lines. There are occasional growled or screamed vocals but if that's not your thing, it's easy to avoid in their discography.
Devin Townsend (as himself or as Devin Townsend Project) is a visionary musician with an incredibly impressive vocal range. His music also mixes heavy metal with electronic, funk, rock, and techno influences. Some of his music lives on my every day, uplifting playlist, but other tracks live solidly in the intense and dramatic realm (see: Kingdom and Failure).
Well that's it for today's musical roundup! Let me know in the comments or in my contact form if there's something I left out that you'd like me to talk about in a future post. Until next time, happy listening. :)
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